N.H. Public School Officials Decry ‘Education Savings Accounts’ Bill

Carl Ladd, Executive Director of the New Hampshire School Administrators Association

Credit Jason Moon for NHPR

Superintendents, school board members, teachers, and parents held a press conference Thursday morning to voice their concerns about a bill that would create "education freedom savings accounts."

The bill, known as Senate Bill 193, would allow parents to use public money to educate their kids outside of public schools, including at home or at private schools.

Carl Ladd with the New Hampshire Superintendents Association said that would undermine the public school system.

“New Hampshire public education is considered one of the best public education systems in the country by any measure," said Ladd, "SB 193 is a solution in search of a problem.”

That sentiment was echoed by Barrett Christina, executive director of the New Hampshire School Boards Association.

“Senate Bill 193 hurts public schools, hurts students, and hurts taxpayers," said Christina. "In consideration of this, the New Hampshire School Boards Association urges all New Hampshire citizens and the New Hampshire legislature to reject Senate Bill 193.”

Also at the press conference was state Rep. Glenn Cordelli, R-Tuftonboro, an author of the bill. He disagreed with the concerns raised and said parents in New Hampshire want greater access to school choice.

“We’ve heard the same argument that they used today four years ago when the business tax credit scholarship was started," said Cordelli. "Same arguments and none of them have come true.”

The bill, which has the support of Governor Chris Sununu, is currently before the House Finance Committee.

One education bill, HB 1263, would increase accountability and oversight for home-schooling, an idea debated in other states this year, and sparking huge opposition at a recent hearing in New Hampshire. The other bill, SB 193, concerns school choice, and whether families can access taxes raised for public education to finance an alternative.

A controversial school choice bill drew a large crowd at a public hearing before lawmakers Tuesday.

The bill would allow some parents to take their children out of public school and then spend the state tax dollars that would have followed that child on other forms of education, including private school tuition.

Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig was among those who spoke against the measure.

A new analysis of a controversial school voucher bill says it could cost the state millions of dollars over the next several years.

The bill in question would allow parents to take the state money that normally follows a child to public school, and spend it on other forms of education -- including private schools or home schooling.